Removable foot ring for container



Feb. 16, 1960 H. w. HERRMAN 2,925,192

REMOVABLE FOOT RING FOR CONTAINER Filed Dec. 50, 1957 INVENT OR. H. W. HERRMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent C REMOVABLE FOOT RING FOR CONTAINER Harry W. Herrman, Davenport, Iowa Application December 30, 1957, Serial No. 706,111

7 Claims. (Cl. 220-69) a base, commonlyknown as a foot ring. This ring is in the nature of a cylindrical band Welded to the bottom or the tank and its junction with the rounded bottom forms an annular groove or crevice which accumulates moisture, dirt, etc. leading to premature rusting of the tank. Although periodic cleaning of the bottom of the 'tank by wire-brushing, sandblasting and so forth hasbeei resorted to, it is virtually impossible to do a complete job of cleaning the groove or crevice. 'Another characteristic of tanks with permanent base or foot rings is that the'rings are used'to roll the tanks on edgewise, the tanks are dropped and subjected to other abuses and the foot rings become so distorted or damaged as to "failto support the tank. Since thering is permanently secured to the tank, its removal is difiicult if notpractically impossible and an otherwise good tank must be discarded simply because the foot ring is damaged. Further, since welding is the most commonly known method of securing the foot-ring to the tank, the welding process itself militates ag'ainstanti-rust processing such as galvanizing, with the result that the composite container {must-beconstructedofheavier and costlier materials or sufier a relatively short life.

According to the present invention, the foregoing and other dithculties are overcome and a more economical "result achieved by theprovision of means for removably mountingthe foot ringon-the tank so that, if the ring becomes damaged, it may be readily replaced, saving the costof a new tank. Further,removability of the foot ring permits access to theentire bottom of the'tank for cleaning, and rust-accumulating joints, grooves etc. are avoided. It is a feature of the invention to provide the mounting means in the form of a plurality of mounting elements adapted to be permanently secured in circumferentially spaced relation to the bottom of the tank and adapted to removably receive the foot ring, since the ring is the cheaper and more easily replaced item. It is an object of the invention to provide simple and economical releasable means for retaining the foot ring, and this means operates in such manner that the foot ring, when removed for purposes other than replacement when damaged, may be used over and over.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable features inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art as several preferred embodiments are disclosed in the ensuing specification and accompanying sheet of drawings, the several figures of which are described below.

2,925,192 Patented Feb. 16, 196!) Figure 1 is a perspective of a typical container equipped with a foot ring mounted according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and drawn to an enlarged scale, showing the container bot tom, foot ring and mounting elements.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan, partly in section, as seen on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective of one form of mounting element.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a section like Figure 4 but shows a moditied form of element.

Figure 8 is a similar section and shows a still further modified form of element.

The tank or container chosen for purposes of illustration is, as stated already, merely typical of the class of structures to which the invention is applicable and therefore should not be taken as unduly limiting the scope of the invention. This tank is denoted in its entirety by the numeral 10, being cylindrical in transverse section and having the typical torpedo shape, including a rounded bottom 12. Since the rounded bottom prevents the tank from standing upright, it is conventional to employ a foot ring, such as that shown here at 14. This ring is an annular cylindrical band having an upper rim or wall portion 16 and is preferably provided with it rolled lower edge 18. Various shapes of rings could be employed, such as the flared type suggested at 14a (Figure 7) in which the rim 16aapproximates the tank diameter but the bottom of the ring is of increased diameter for stability, butthe mounting thereof onthe tank will partake of the novel principles disclosed.

The mounting means for the foot ring comprisesa plurality of mounting elements 20 spaced circumferentially about the tank bottom, and, since these are identical, only one will be described, having reference now to Figures' l-6.

- Each element has .a mounting portion 2.2 of substantial'area which presents a mounting face 24 shapedto conform, if desired, to the shape of the tank bottom 12, and this face provides a relatively broad mounting area to avoid localized forces on thetank bottom. .Theselare arranged adjacent to the cylindrical wall of the tankrfor ing part or leg 26 are apertured inualin'ement trans'- versely to the slot 28, as at 30, and the releasable means for retaining the foot ring includes these apertures plus a dimpled or deformed part 32 of the foot ring wall. When it is desired to remove the ring from the elements 26, the dimples may be drilled out. If the ring is not damaged and is suitable for replacement, it may be turned slightly angularly when replaced and dimpled in an adjacent portion. This result may be readily accomplished by an ordinary punch or drift pin.

Another form of releasable means is shown in Figure 7, wherein is shown a mounting element 20a, identical to that shown at 2% except for the tapping of an aperture Eitla in a furcation 26a to receive a set screw 32a. A still further form is shown in Figure 8, wherein a mounting element 2% has furcations 26b and 28b of different lengths, the longer furcation 261; being apertured at 3015 and the wall of the foot ring being deformed or dimpled into this aperture at 32b in the manner of the Figures 1-6 construction. On the basis of the foregoing, other variations will readily suggest themselves.

As already referred to, each mounting element 20 has the broad web or mounting portion 22 (and this may also be considered typical of the elements 20:: and 20b), which affords an ideal base for permanentlyv securing the elements to the bottom 12 of the tank in appropriate circumferentially spaced relation, preferably to lie within the extended cylinder of the tank so as to avoid lateral projections and to improve the appearance of the finished product. Although the elements may be Welded to the tank bottom, it is preferred to employ a brazing or brazing-like method, since the rod material then employed is corrosion-proof and the ring and tank can be galvanized to further augment the long-life treatment. The braze metal may be applied completely around the web 22 at its junction with the tank, as at 34, but it is particularly important to achieve a smooth fillet or fairly large radius at the interior zone, as at 36, so as to avoid sharp corners, crevices etc. that might interfere with thorough cleaning. The same detail is ob served in the designs of Figures 7 and 8, which will be clear without further description.

' It will be seen from the foregoing that the elements 20 are permanently secured to the'tank bottom and have the slotted portions 26 to receive circumferentially spaced portions of the wall or rim 16 of the foot ring 14. The connections between the ring and the elements are releasable, and several forms of releasable means have been disclosed. Thus the elements remain with the tank and the foot ring may be removed for cleaning of the tank bottom and replaced if adequate, or it may be thrown away and another ring used in its stead. The manner of securing the elements to the tank has many advantages, other than those listed above, over welding, for example. Welding must be performed at relatively high heat and it is required that the tank bottom be reheated for stress relief. This'is not necessary according to the present invention. Further, welding militates against galvanizing, whereas the present method is inherently corrosionproof.

-A further feature of the invention is that, since the web ortmounting portion 22 is at an angle to the depending part or leg 26 to accommodate the shape of the tank bottom with reference to the upright foot ring rim or wall 16, the slot 28 in the leg can be made of such depth as to carry at least to and preferably partly into the underside of the web, as at 38, thus presenting a longer zone of contact between the ring and elements in a circumferential direction, whereby the load-bearing qualities of the structure are enhanced. In cases where a particular type of tank has a flatter bottom than that shown, the faces 24 on the elements 20 maybe shaped accordingly.

These and other modifications will readily occur to those versed in the art, as will features and advantages in addition to those enumerated, such as removability of the foot mg for replacement when damaged and to facilitate cleaning of the tank bottom, the provision of simple and economical mounting means and others, all

of which may be achieved without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. For a cylindrical container having a partly spherical base and a cylindrical wall rising coaxially from said base and a foot ring disposed coaxially below the base and including an upstanding annular rim spaced below said base: means for removably mounting the foot ring on the base, including a plurality of elements spaced circumferentially about the base and rim of the foot ring, each element having a mounting portion presenting a relatively broad upwardly facing base-contacting face for permanent attachment to the base generally within the circumference of the wall and each element further having a depending portion integral with said mounting portion and engaging the proximate part of the foot ring rim; and means releasably securing each depending portion to said proximate part of the foot ring rim.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: each depending portion is bifurcated to afford a downwardly opening slot receiving said foot ring rim part.

3. The invention defined in claim 2, in which: at least one furcation of each depending portion has an aperture 7 therein transverse to the slot, and said aperture forms part of the releasable means.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, in which: said aperture carries a releasable device engaging the proximate foo-t ring rim part. 4 K f 5. The invention defined in claim 3,,in which: the

proximate part of the foot ring rim is deformed into.

said aperture to constitute the releasable means.

6; The invention definedin claim 1, in which: the depth of the slot is such that'it extends to the mounting portion so that the mounting portion presents an under side engageable with the top of the proximate part of the foot ring rim throughout an increased area.

7. The inventiondefined in claim'6, in which: ,the underside of the mounting portion has therein a downwardly facing circumferentially directed slot communieating with the slot in the depending portion and shaped and constructed to receive the proximate upper portion of the footring.

Lucas Dec. '1, 1936 Williams 2 Apr. 29, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Sweden 4-0a. 16,193 6 

